The present invention concerns a container transfer apparatus which allows automatic compensation of possible erroneous positioning of the container in a container carrier.
As used herein, the term “container” means an article that contains a biological specimen and has a tubular opening for access of the contents, e.g. a test tube.
At the entry in an automated clinical chemistry laboratory it is requested to transfer a specimen container from a departure support, such as an input/output module (IOM), to a container carrier (for example as disclosed in PCT application No. PCT/EP2006/067294 of the same Applicant) which is then moved by a motorized conveyor belt through a succession of workcells.
There are known container transfer apparatus comprising a fixed frame and a container gripper movable between an upper position and a lower position.
When in the lower position the container gripper grips a container placed in the departure support by means of movable fingers, then upraises and is moved over a container carrier placed on a conveyor belt.
Finally the container gripper goes down to position the gripped container inside the container carrier.
The vertical distance of the container gripper between the upper position and the lower position is standard, while the vertical position of the container in the departure support, namely the IOM, may vary as for human mistakes that do not grant the correct contact of the bottom of the container with the abutment plane surface of the departure support.
If the container is not correctly positioned in the departure support, the gripper fingers of the container gripper catch the container lower than usual.
As a result, when the container gripper places the container into the container carrier, the bottom of the container is not in contact with the abutment plane surface of the carrier, that is the container is not correctly positioned in the carrier.
An incorrect positioning of the container in its carrier may cause a lot of problems during its passage through the several workcells.